The Legendary Pink Dots are a Netherlands-based band formed in August 1980 … Read Full Bio ↴The Legendary Pink Dots are a Netherlands-based band formed in August 1980 in the UK who, although distinctly underground, have been musically influential over the years. The band name was derived from pink dots of nail varnish on the piano in their squat, where founding members Edward and April lived. The band has as its focal point vocalist Edward Ka-Spel, who is, along with Phil "The Silverman" Knight, one of the original remaining members of the band. In the mid eighties the band resettled in the Netherlands, where they still reside today. Apart from Edward and Phil, the line-up has gone through many changes. Members such as Ryan Moore, a Canadian bass player, who joined in 1991 after the recordings of the Last Man to Fly with the Tear Garden (he joined as a session musician), went on to form their own labels and musical projects. See Twilight Circus and M Records. Their music is nothing if not original and it is difficult to categorise, but comparisons may be drawn with bands like Pink Floyd and Can.

Their sound has been described as an amalgamation of psychedelic rock, industrial, synth-pop and avant-garde. They have released over 40 records and continuously tour the world.

Members of the band have also collaborated with Nurse With Wound, The Dresden Dolls, Jarboe, HNAS, Jim O'Rourke, Skinny Puppy's cEvin Key, forming The Tear Garden. Ka Spel accompanied Skinny Puppy for a small part of their 1988 European 'Head Trauma' tour in Sweden. Key also appears on the 1994 album 9 Lives to Wonder.

Red Castles
The Legendary Pink Dots Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Maidens in towers and knights on the town; shields up convinced that the barricade's down. Fighting in bars... they were biting the cars

Two aches in the head, H20 in the wine. Two hits off the mirror to help you unwind. You learned how to drink. You'll turn now to a shrink. And he'll say that you are king of the castle. Your glory excels in here... Blood on the bypass. You're passing the pills. They're painted and plastic, they make you feel ill. They make you kick in the night. You're sick in the light.

A tramp chews a dog-end. A dog chews a tramp, Tears holes in his raincoat and howls because it's damp. He chokes on a coin and we count up to nine. Ah, but he's king in his castle. His glory excels in here. Pagans in showers and kites on the Downs. Polka-dot patterns and strings turning brown. They shut out the sun. Oh, wot jolly fun! But we're kings in our castles.

Overall Meaning

The Legendary Pink Dots' song "Red Castles" describes a world full of absurdities and contradictions, where maidens are locked in towers and knights have barricades despite believing them to be down. The lyrics suggest a society torn apart by violence, where people fight in bars and bite cars. The song depicts the struggles of individuals to cope with the chaos of this world - two aches in the head and H2O in the wine indicates a desire for escape, and turning to drugs and alcohol as a source of relief. However, even after all of that, the singer is still left with feelings of anxiety and ultimately turns to a shrink for help.

The lyrics also describe a tramp who chews on a dog-end while a dog chews on the tramp's raincoat. The tramp blocks his throat with a coin and the song counts up to nine before suggesting that the tramp is still the king of his castle, just like all the other characters. The song concludes with the line "we're kings in our castles," implying that no matter how mundane or grotesque our lives might seem, we each have some form of agency and self-importance.

Line by Line Meaning

Maidens in towers and knights on the town; shields up convinced that the barricade's down. Fighting in bars... they were biting the cars
People are living their lives in normalcy, but they believe they are under attack or in danger. Violence erupts in unexpected places.

Two aches in the head, H20 in the wine. Two hits off the mirror to help you unwind. You learned how to drink. You'll turn now to a shrink. And he'll say that you are king of the castle. Your glory excels in here...
You're becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol to manage your woes. The therapist will counsel you that you are in charge of your life and are a master at concealing your pain.

Blood on the bypass. You're passing the pills. They're painted and plastic, they make you feel ill. They make you kick in the night. You're sick in the light.
Life is dangerous and unhealthy. The drugs that are stolen when possible will only make you more sick.

A tramp chews a dog-end. A dog chews a tramp, Tears holes in his raincoat and howls because it's damp. He chokes on a coin and we count up to nine. Ah, but he's king in his castle. His glory excels in here.
Those at the very bottom of society can still feel powerful and important enough to assert themselves as winners in their own world.

Pagans in showers and kites on the Downs. Polka-dot patterns and strings turning brown. They shut out the sun. Oh, wot jolly fun! But we're kings in our castles.
People of different ways of life tend to remain closed-minded, even in communal spaces. Despite this, you still have control and dominance over your personal world.

Contributed by Samuel S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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